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[Excerpt] "It is a pleasure to introduce this symposium issue with its range of current thoughts about what Arthur Kantrowitz invented a little over twenty-five years ago and has since come to be known as the "Science Court." The pleasure is enhanced by being able to include papers by Dr. Kantrowitz, Allan Mazur (who worked closely with him), Carl Cranor, Itzhak Jacoby and Sheila Jasanoff - as well as an extensive list of citations to other discussions. In approaching these papers, readers may find it helpful to consider what Kantrowitz invented, he and others have attempted to improve, and the marketplace for social innovation has so far largely rejected. Notwithstanding a Congressional desire to "include anything under the sun.., made by man" within patentable subject matter, social technologies appear not to fit. Still, the Science Court can be usefully subjected to the kind of scrutiny it would have to survive before a patent could be granted."